Source: IE
Subject: Species in News
Context: Scientists have detected cetacean morbillivirus in Arctic waters for the first time by using drones to collect whale breath (blow) samples, a non-invasive technique.
About Cetacean morbillivirus:
What it is?
- Cetacean morbillivirus is a highly infectious viral disease affecting marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and pilot whales, closely related to measles and canine distemper viruses.
Found in:
- It has been widely reported in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Pacific regions, and has now been detected circulating in Arctic waters, particularly among humpback and sperm whales.
Origin: First identified in 1987, the virus likely evolved from terrestrial morbilliviruses and adapted to marine mammals, spreading through close contact and respiratory droplets.
Key features:
- Attacks respiratory, immune, and nervous systems.
- Transmitted through direct contact and aerosolised blow.
- Can cross species barriers among cetaceans.
- Often detected post-mortem, making early surveillance difficult.
Implications:
- Linked to mass strandings and large-scale mortality events.
- Signals emerging disease risks in the Arctic, possibly amplified by climate change and shifting whale migration routes.
- Highlights the importance of non-invasive drone-based monitoring for long-term marine conservation and biosecurity.
- Enables authorities to adopt stress-reduction measures to protect infected whales.
